Filler head



United States Patent Ohio Filed Oct. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 320,199 9 Claims. Cl. 141-350 This invention relates to a filler head. It has to do, more specifically, with a method and means for filling a flexible collapsible receptacle through a slidable dispenser valve provided on the receptacle.

The invention is particularly applicable to that type of receptacle and associated dispenser valve which is illustrated in the copending application of Robert J. Curie and Robert S. Hamilton, Ser. No. 272,321, filed April 11, 1963, nowabandoned, and in Patent No. 3,173,579, issued March 16, 1965. The collapsible receptacle disclosed in that application and patent is in the form generally of a liner bag for a paperboard carton and the receptacle is made of flexible plastic sheet material. On the bag is sealed a flat flange around an opening in the bag and this flange carries a centrally located, outwardly projecting neck. The neck carries a dispenser valve. This valve includes a hollow stem slidable in a guide carried by the neck and having a liquid dispensing opening in its side which is covered by the guide for sealing when the stem is pushed inwardly and is uncovered for dispensing when the stem is pulled outwardly. The stem has a flange on its outer end which facilitates movement between its inward or retracted sealing position and its outward or extended dispensing position.

According to this invention, there is provided a filler head which receives the liquid to be used in filling the containers of the type indicated, this filling being accomplished through the dispensing openings of the valves provided thereon. Consequently, no other filling openings are required and the valves need not be removed to permit filling through the container necks. The filler head is so designed and constructed that the container valves on the bags can be successively positioned therein and as each slide valve is positioned, it is automatically opened and the opening in the stem is positioned over a filling nozzle tip for filling of the container. After each bag is filled, the attached valve is removed from the filler head and as it is removed, the valve is automatically closed with the stem forced into sealing position and with the dispensing opening covered by the valve stem guide.

In the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a filler headand a slide valve on a receptacle with which it is used. The manner in which the filler head is used to open and close the valve is also illustrated.

In these drawings:

FIGURE lis a side elevational view of a filler head made in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a receptacle to be filled according to this invention, the receptacle having a slide valve adapted to be actuated by the filler head.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the filler head taken from theposition indicated at line 44 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional viewof the outer end portion of the head showing the valve being inserted therein.

FIGURE 6 is a similar view taken along line .6-6 of FIGURE 7 but showing the valve in finally inserted filling position in the head.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the head indicating the receptacle associated therewith diagrammatically.

With reference to the drawings, the filler head of this ice invention is illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 4-7, and is designated generally by the numeral 10. The container or receptacle with which this filler head preferably is to be used, is indicated in FIGURES 2, 3 and 5-7 and is designated generally by the numeral 16.

As previously indicated, the receptacle is in the form of a bag which is made of flexible sheet material, for example, plastic sheet material such as transparent polyethylene film. It is of the general type disclosed in detail in said copending application and patent. The bag is preferably provided with an annular neck-or collar 36 which has a peripheral flat attaching flange 37 at its inner edge, the flange being sealed to the bag around an opening formed in one side thereof. A closure and dispenser valve 40, which is also of plastic, is mounted on the neck 36 and is used in dispensing liquid from the bag. In addition, according to this invention, the bag is filled through this valve so that a separate filling valve or fitting or closure is not required.

An outwardly extending integral peripheral flange 41 or similar shoulder is provided on the plastic neck 36 intermediate its extent. This flange 41 projects radially a considerable distance beyond the periphery of the neck 36. Thus, it provides an annularly projecting flange or shoulder. Outwardly beyond the flange 41, the neck 36 is reduced slightly as indicated at 360: or is similarly formed to provide an outwardly projecting tubular guide portion which receives the tubular stem 46 of a valve member. The valve stem slidably fits within the tubular guide 36a with a snug friction fit. The stem is provided with a button or flat flange 47 on the closed outer end of the stem. This button 47 projects outwardly radially a substantial distance beyond the stem and preferably throughout most of its area to the same extent as the flange 41. As indicated in FIGURE 4, the-button 47 is notched out to provide the recessed edges 47aon opposite sides of an index tab or tongue 47b. This tongue 47b projects a distance slightly less than the radius of :the rest of the button'as indicated in FIGURE 4. The stem or valve member 46 is provided at its outer end with an annular sealing plug enlargement 46. The inner end of the stem is open and on its exterior surface it carries an annular stop shoulder 48 which will limit outward movement of the valve stem by cooperating with a stop shoulder 48a on the inner surface of the neck 36 at the inner extremity of the guide portion 36a. However, at its outermost position, a transverse dispensing opening 49 in the stem is beyond the guide portion 36a of the neck 36. When pushed inwardly, as in FIGURE 3, the opening 49 is closed by theneck 36. Since the valve material is somewhat flexible, the plug enlargement 46a will wedge into and slightly expand the outerextremity of the guide portion 36a to obtain an eifective seal at this location. It will be noted (FIGURE 4) that the tongue 47b and opening 49 are in radial alignment.

It will be apparent that When the valve stem is in retracted or closed position, where the opening 49 is covered by the neck 36, as shown in FIGURE 3, two outwardly projecting shoulders or flanges 41 and 47 are provided in axially spaced relationship. Movement of these flanges farther apart axially, it will be apparent, will produce axial sliding relative movement of the stem 46 and the neck 36 to extend the stem 46 to a'position where the opening 49 is uncovered. The filler head 10 is adapted to perform these opening and closing operations automatically by positioning the valve therein and then removing it therefrom.

The head 10 shown in FIGURES 1 and 4 to 7 receives a supply of liquid or other material to be used in filling the bag 16 from a suitable source to which a conduit 50 is connected. The supply to the head is controlled by a valve 51 of any suitable type which may be controlled by 3 -the fluid lines 52. The forward end of the valve is connected to a nozzle 53 which is inserted in a socket 54 in the rear or inner socket portion 55 of the head. This nozzle 53 carries an outwardly extending tip 56 which has a suitable outlet orifice 56a (FIGURES 5 and 6) This tip 56 extends between the guide flanges 5'7 of the head.

A pairof the guide flanges 57 are provided in laterally spaced relationship on the head and extend outwardly from the portion 55 a substantial distance. Each guide is provided with two vertically spaced cam slots 58. The lower slot 58 (FIGURES 5 and 6) is a straight horizontal slot open at its outer end whereas the upper slot has an outer inlet horizontal part '60 at one level, and an inner horizontal part 61 at another level with an inclined connecting part 62. These cam slots function to provide control for the opening and closing of the valve 40 as it is inserted in and removed from the head. In inserting the valve 40 in the head 10, the upper flange 47 is slipped into the horizontal inlet part 60 of the upper slot and the intermediate flange 41 is inserted in the inlet end'of the lower slot 58 as shown in FIGURE 5. The flange 47 will reston the lower side of the slot portion 60 and the flange 41 will rest on the lower side of the slot 58. The flange 37, sealed to the bag 16, at this time willl'be spaced below the' lower edges of the guide flanges 57 as shdwn in FIGURE 5. The cap flange 47 Will be so positioned in the cam slo'ts that the tab 47b Will extend inwardly. If the valve 40 is now moved inwardly into the head, the stem 46 will be moved axially out of the neck 3 6. This will be accomplished by the recessededges 47a of the cap 47 engaging the lower surfaces of the inclined portions 62 of the upper grooves 59. At the same time that the inclined surfaces exert an upward push on the flange 47, the flange 41 is lifted against the top edges of the slots 58 and the flange 37 is lifted against the lowermost edges of the guide flanges 57 as indicated in FIGURE 6. Continued inward movement of the valve 40 in the head produces sufiicient axial movement of the stem 46 relative to the neck 36 and associated guide portion 36a that as the flange 47 enters the horizontal upper portions 61 of the grooves 59, the opening 49 in the valve stem will be opposite the nozzle tip 55 and will slip thereover as the flange 47 is moved back into the groove portions 61. The filler nozzle discharge orifice 56:: will then be located within the stem 46 and the'b'a'g can then be filled by control of the valve 51. It will be noted from FIGURE 6 that the tongue 47b on the flange 47 at this time is spaced from the inner ends of the slot portions 61 so thatthe guide edges 47a do not contact the inner ends of the slot portions. It will be apparent that as the cap flange 47 rides upwardly in the inclined portions 62 of the upper slots 59, the cap can tilt on'the guide edges 47a thereof so that it will remain in substantially horizontal position. Furthermore, these guide edges 47a riding upon the inclined surfaces will tend to keep the tongue 47b centered relative to the guide flanges 57 and, therefore, keep the stem opening 49 substantially in alignment with the nozzle tip 55. However, it will be noted that the outer end of the nozzle tip is of spherical form so that it will also have a centering action relative to the opening 49.

When the bag 16 is filled, the valve 40 will be withdrawn from the head and this will automatically push the valve stem- 46 into the neck 36 to cover the valve stern opening 49. As the cap portion 47 passes downwardly through the inclined portion 62 of the upper slot 59, the guide portions 47a thereof engage the top edges of the inclined portions 62 of the grooves and simultaneo'usly the flange 41 will be forced against the lower edges of the lower grooves 58. At this time, the lowermost flange 37 will be forced away from the lower edges of the guide flanges 57. By the time the valve 41} again reaches the position shown in FIGURE 5, the valve will 4 be completely closed and may be removed from the head 10.

Thus, it will be apparent that with this head arrangement which includes the cam edges provided by the grooves 58 and 62 and the lower edges of the guide flanges 57, the slide valve is automatically opened as it is moved through the head into filling position. It is automatically closed as it is pulled out of the head from the filling position. Furthermore, because of the peculiar design of the cap flange 47 in association with the head design, there is a centering action which will align the opening 49 in the valve stem with the nozzle tip 55.

It will be apparent that this invention provides sanitary means for automatically opening and closing the valve as it is moved into and out of the filling head. Any number of these filling heads may be incorporated into a multiple head filling machine.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principles of this invention have been explained and have been illustrated and described in what is now considered to represent the best embodiment. However, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed 1. A filler head having nozzle means for supplying a filling substance to a receptacle, said receptacle having a valve including a valve member slidably mounted in a guide member, said head having spaced cam guides formed therein and leading from a loading position to a filling position adjacent said nozzle means, said valve member and guide member having portions respectively positioned in said cam guides for producing relative sliding movement between said valve member and said guide member as the valve is moved in the head along said cam guides between said loading and filling positions.

2. A filler head for filling a receptacle having a dispenser valve, said valve comprising a stem slidably mounted in a guide, said stem having a dispensing opening in a wall thereof movable from a retracted position where it is covered by said guide to an extended position where it is uncovered by said guide; said filler head being adapted to receive the valve and having a nozzle tip adapted to receive the opening in the valve for filling the receptacle with a substance supplied to the nozzle tip; and cam guide means on said filler head in cooperative relationship with said nozzle tip for engaging the valve stem as the valve is positioned therein for sliding the stem to its retracted position to expose the opening and position it over the nozzle tip, said cam guide means serving to engage the stem and move it to its retracted position where the opening is covered by the guide as it is moved away from the nozzle tip and withdrawn from the head.

3. A filler head according to claim 2 including cam guide means on the head for engaging the valve guide to hold it in a relatively fixed position with respect to the stem as the valve is positioned in and withdrawn from the head.

4. A filler head for filling a receptacle having a dispenser valve comprising a stem slidable axially in a neck, said stem being hollow and having a transverse opening in its wall, axial sliding movement of the stem and neck relatively moving the opening from a position within the neck to a position outwardly of the neck, said head having an outwardly extending nozzle tip adapted to extend into said opening, guide members in said head on opposite sides laterally of said nozzle tip and extending outwardly beyond said tip, said guide members having diverging cam edges extending from an outward loading position to a filling position adjacent said nozzle tip, said edges being adapted to respectively engage actuating portions of said stem and neck to produce relative axial sliding movement upon movement of said valve relative to said head between said loading position and said filling position.

5. The combination of claim 4 in which the actuating portions of the valve stem and neck comprise an upper flange on the stern, and a lower flange on the neck, said cam edges being provided by an upper groove which receives the upper flange, and a lower groove which rereives the lower flange.

6. The combination of claim 5 in which the lower groove is horizontal, said upper groove having an inner horizontal portion substantially parallel with the axis of the nozzle tip which is spaced below it, an outer horizontal portion and a connecting inclined portion, said lower groove being below the nozzle tip and parallel to the axis thereof.

7. The combination of claim 6 in which the upper flange of the valve stem is of arcuate form with a tongue extending radially from one side thereof and with guide surfaces on each side of the tongue for engaging the inclined portions of the upper groove, said guide members including a pair between which the tongue is adapted to be located, said tongue being in substantial radial alignment with said transverse opening in said stem.

8. The combination of claim 7 in which said dispenser valve has a still lower flange on the neck below said lower flange, and a straight lower edge on the head which engages said still lower neck flange and which extends parallel to said lower groove.

9. A filler head for receiving a valve carried by a receptacle having a guide sleeve and an axially slidablc stem, said guide sleeve and said stem having radially projecting shoulders which are axially spaced and which are movable relatively from a non-filling condition to a filling condition, a filler nozzle on said head, and cam guides extending from a valve-receiving inlet of said head to a filling position adjacent said nozzle, said cam guides comprising guides for engaging the respective shoulders on said valve at the inlet of said head and which diverge toward the filling position adjacent said filler nozzle so that as the valve is moved into said head the stem and guide sleeve are moved axially between a non-filling condition and a filling condition.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1920 Murphy 141 349 9/1929 Badger 53-37 

9. A FILLER HEAD FOR RECEIVING A VALVE CARRIED BY A RECEPTACLE HAVING A GUIDE SLEEVE AND AN AXIALLY SLIDABLE STEM, SAID GUIDE SLEEVE AND SAID STEM HVING RADIALLY PROJECTING SHOULDERS WHICH ARE AXIALLY SPACED AND WHICH ARE MOVABLE RELATIVELY FROM A NON-FILLING CONDITION TO A FILLING CONDITION, A FILLER NOZZLE ON SAID HEAD, AND CAM GUIDES EXTENDING FROM A VALVE-RECEIVING INLET OF SAID HEAD TO A FILLING POSITION ADJACENT SAID NOZZLE, SAID CAM GUIDES COMPRISING GUIDES FOR ENGAGING THE RESPECTIVE SHOULDERS ON SAID VALVE AT THE INLET OF SAID HEAD AND WHICH DIVERGE TOWARD THE FILLING POSITION ADJACENT SAID FILLER NOZZLE SO THAT AS THE VALVE IS MOVED INTO SAID HEAD THE STEM AND GUIDE SLEEVE ARE MOVED AXIALLY BETWEEN A NON-FILLING CONDITION AND A FILLING CONDITION. 